Scottish Executive

Air Services

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government about developing part of the Royal Air Force flying station near Leuchars as a commercial airport.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has regular discussions with the Department for Transport on a range of aviation matters affecting Scotland.

Council Tax

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average council tax bill is for 2003-04 in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area, broken down by council tax band.

Tavish Scott: Council tax by band for each local authority, and the average for Scotland, is given in the following table. This is before the effect of any exemptions, disregarded adults, reductions for disabled band relief, discounts or council tax benefit.

  Council Tax by Band 2003-04

  

 Council
 Band A
 Band B
 Band C
 Band D
 Band E
 Band F
 Band G
 Band H


 Ratio to Band D
 6/9
 7/9
 8/9
 1
 11/9
 13/9
 15/9
 18/9


 
 £'s
 £'s
 £'s
 £'s
 £'s
 £'s
 £'s
 £'s


 Scotland Average
 672.78
 784.92
 897.05
 1,009.18
 1,233.44
 1,457.70
 1,681.96
 2,018.35


 Aberdeen City
 680.04
 793.38
 906.72
 1,020.06
 1,246.74
 1,473.42
 1,700.10
 2,040.12


 Aberdeenshire
 644.00
 751.33
 858.67
 966.00
 1,180.67
 1,395.33
 1,610.00
 1,932.00


 Angus
 622.00
 725.67
 829.33
 933.00
 1,140.33
 1,347.67
 1,555.00
 1,866.00


 Argyll and Bute
 689.33
 804.22
 919.11
 1,034.00
 1,263.78
 1,493.56
 1,723.33
 2,068.00


 Clackmannanshire
 663.33
 773.89
 884.44
 995.00
 1,216.11
 1,437.22
 1,658.33
 1,990.00


 Dumfries and Galloway
 620.67
 724.11
 827.56
 931.00
 1,137.89
 1,344.78
 1,551.67
 1,862.00


 Dundee City
 726.00
 847.00
 968.00
 1,089.00
 1,331.00
 1,573.00
 1,815.00
 2,178.00


 East Ayrshire
 676.20
 788.90
 901.60
 1,014.30
 1,239.70
 1,465.10
 1,690.50
 2,028.60


 East Dunbartonshire
 644.24
 751.61
 858.99
 966.36
 1,181.11
 1,395.85
 1,610.60
 1,932.72


 East Lothian
 662.10
 772.45
 882.80
 993.15
 1,213.85
 1,434.55
 1,655.25
 1,986.30


 East Renfrewshire
 636.67
 742.78
 848.89
 955.00
 1,167.22
 1,379.44
 1,591.67
 1,910.00


 Edinburgh, City of
 694.00
 809.67
 925.33
 1,041.00
 1,272.33
 1,503.67
 1,735.00
 2,082.00


 Eilean Siar
 578.00
 674.33
 770.67
 867.00
 1,059.67
 1,252.33
 1,445.00
 1,734.00


 Falkirk
 604.00
 704.67
 805.33
 906.00
 1,107.33
 1,308.67
 1,510.00
 1,812.00


 Fife
 654.00
 763.00
 872.00
 981.00
 1,199.00
 1,417.00
 1,635.00
 1,962.00


 Glasgow City
 775.33
 904.56
 1,033.78
 1,163.00
 1,421.44
 1,679.89
 1,938.33
 2,326.00


 Highland
 659.33
 769.22
 879.11
 989.00
 1,208.78
 1,428.56
 1,648.33
 1,978.00


 Inverclyde
 726.00
 847.00
 968.00
 1,089.00
 1,331.00
 1,573.00
 1,815.00
 2,178.00


 Midlothian
 714.67
 833.78
 952.89
 1,072.00
 1,310.22
 1,548.44
 1,786.67
 2,144.00


 Moray
 604.93
 705.76
 806.58
 907.40
 1,109.04
 1,310.69
 1,512.33
 1,814.80


 North Ayrshire
 651.33
 759.89
 868.44
 977.00
 1,194.11
 1,411.22
 1,628.33
 1,954.00


 North Lanarkshire
 648.00
 756.00
 864.00
 972.00
 1,188.00
 1,404.00
 1,620.00
 1,944.00


 Orkney Islands
 600.00
 700.00
 800.00
 900.00
 1,100.00
 1,300.00
 1,500.00
 1,800.00


 Perth and Kinross
 655.33
 764.56
 873.78
 983.00
 1,201.44
 1,419.89
 1,638.33
 1,966.00


 Renfrewshire
 658.67
 768.44
 878.22
 988.00
 1,207.56
 1,427.11
 1,646.67
 1,976.00


 Scottish Borders
 623.33
 727.22
 831.11
 935.00
 1,142.78
 1,350.56
 1,558.33
 1,870.00


 Shetland Islands
 582.00
 679.00
 776.00
 873.00
 1,067.00
 1,261.00
 1,455.00
 1,746.00


 South Ayrshire
 642.67
 749.78
 856.89
 964.00
 1,178.22
 1,392.44
 1,606.67
 1,928.00


 South Lanarkshire
 647.33
 755.22
 863.11
 971.00
 1,186.78
 1,402.56
 1,618.33
 1,942.00


 Stirling
 708.00
 826.00
 944.00
 1,062.00
 1,298.00
 1,534.00
 1,770.00
 2,124.00


 West Dunbartonshire
 713.33
 832.22
 951.11
 1,070.00
 1,307.78
 1,545.56
 1,783.33
 2,140.00


 West Lothian
 656.00
 765.33
 874.67
 984.00
 1,202.67
 1,421.33
 1,640.00
 1,968.00



  Note:

  Source: As reported by councils on the statistical return, Council Tax Assumptions 2003.

  Council Tax based on a household with two or more adults, excluding water and sewerage charge

Council Tax

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are liable to pay council tax for 2003-04 in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area, broken down by council tax band.

Tavish Scott: The number of households liable to pay council tax for 2003-04 in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area, broken down by council tax band is given in the following table. This is the number of properties on the valuation list on 2 September 2002, the latest date that information is available.

  Number of Chargeable Dwellings on the Valuation List on 2 September 2002

  

 
 Band A
 Band B
 Band C
 Band D
 Band E
 Band F
 Band G
 Band H
 Total


 Scotland
 547,337
 560,957
 352,324
 271,614
 275,437
 138,227
 91,926
 10,181
 2,248,003


 Aberdeen City
 19,584
 25,647
 16,373
 10,287
 12,325
 7,222
 6,453
 668
 98,559


 Aberdeenshire
 19,855
 15,002
 12,645
 14,634
 16,647
 10,104
 6,423
 399
 95,709


 Angus
 14,719
 11,885
 6,278
 7,120
 6,041
 2,035
 1,005
 127
 49,210


 Argyll and Bute
 7,735
 9,256
 8,629
 5,321
 6,370
 3,354
 2,238
 201
 43,104


 Clackmannanshire
 6,146
 6,871
 1,702
 2,102
 2,416
 1,003
 577
 33
 20,850


 Dumfries and Galloway
 10,817
 21,967
 10,330
 8,671
 8,814
 3,759
 1,795
 144
 66,297


 Dundee City
 28,721
 15,524
 6,786
 7,250
 5,226
 1,664
 754
 32
 65,957


 East Ayrshire
 26,393
 9,294
 4,049
 5,073
 4,885
 2,128
 414
 34
 52,270


 East Dunbartonshire
 1,269
 3,686
 7,835
 6,894
 10,599
 6,163
 5,496
 461
 42,403


 East Lothian
 1,124
 8,954
 13,344
 4,754
 4,835
 3,266
 2,766
 456
 39,499


 East Renfrewshire
 1,272
 4,986
 3,786
 5,728
 7,881
 5,741
 5,544
 655
 35,593


 Edinburgh, City of
 23,392
 43,048
 38,051
 29,873
 31,164
 20,030
 17,648
 3,056
 206,262


 Eilean Siar
 4,464
 3,478
 2,566
 1,368
 719
 118
 27
 4
 12,744


 Falkirk
 21,945
 18,452
 5,650
 7,157
 6,932
 2,959
 1,174
 43
 64,312


 Fife
 40,699
 46,598
 18,975
 16,001
 18,530
 8,660
 4,515
 327
 154,305


 Glasgow City
 73,519
 70,429
 56,692
 32,203
 21,294
 7,909
 4,701
 582
 267,329


 Highland
 18,915
 21,720
 19,305
 14,655
 14,105
 6,030
 2,817
 285
 97,832


 Inverclyde
 21,641
 4,674
 2,684
 2,669
 3,070
 1,549
 1,168
 161
 37,616


 Midlothian
 957
 11,567
 9,505
 3,772
 3,835
 1,833
 1,171
 144
 32,784


 Moray
 11,402
 9,112
 5,247
 4,805
 4,121
 1,326
 461
 51
 36,525


 North Ayrshire
 21,335
 18,010
 5,860
 5,735
 7,486
 2,390
 947
 44
 61,807


 North Lanarkshire
 53,177
 35,812
 16,119
 12,766
 11,924
 4,267
 1,571
 65
 135,701


 Orkney Islands
 2,505
 2,545
 1,777
 1,337
 812
 157
 16
 2
 9,151


 Perth and Kinross
 8,784
 14,325
 10,090
 8,599
 10,036
 5,549
 3,973
 512
 61,868


 Renfrewshire
 14,299
 24,941
 11,773
 9,001
 9,285
 5,019
 2,808
 187
 77,313


 Scottish Borders
 15,658
 12,150
 5,940
 4,928
 5,147
 3,396
 2,656
 343
 50,218


 Shetland Islands
 3,015
 1,657
 2,402
 1,419
 904
 156
 34
 1
 9,588


 South Ayrshire
 7,063
 12,132
 7,920
 7,446
 8,702
 4,173
 2,551
 214
 50,201


 South Lanarkshire
 35,895
 28,603
 22,019
 16,170
 14,778
 7,147
 4,021
 289
 128,922


 Stirling
 6,174
 7,996
 3,628
 3,538
 5,398
 4,330
 4,019
 524
 35,607


 West Dunbartonshire
 7,920
 17,077
 7,112
 4,175
 4,289
 1,264
 439
 24
 42,300


 West Lothian
 16,943
 23,559
 7,252
 6,163
 6,867
 3,526
 1,744
 113
 66,167



  Note:

  Source: As reported by local authorities on statistical return CTAXBASE (02)

Cycleways

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether BEAR Scotland has adequately performed its obligations in respect of the management of the millennium cycle route from Drumochter to Dalwhinnie; whether the trunk road maintenance contract provides adequate management of this route; what powers it has to direct BEAR Scotland to carry out additional work on the route, and whether it has used, or plans to use, any such powers.

Nicol Stephen: The trunk road maintenance contracts specify the level of inspection and maintenance required to be undertaken by the operating companies in respect of cycleways. The Scottish Executive believes these requirements to be adequate having due regard to usage and value for money.

  The contracts require an annual detailed inspection to be carried out on cycleways, with defects recorded from those inspections forming the basis of prioritised planned programmes of work.

  The performance of all trunk road operators, including BEAR Scotland Ltd, is independently monitored against their contractual obligations by the performance audit group. BEAR Scotland Ltd has managed the Millennium Cycle Route between Drumochter and Dalwhinnie under the terms of the contract.

  The Scottish Executive has powers to instruct BEAR Scotland Ltd to carry out additional work on cycleways. The Executive has not used and has no plans to use these powers in relation to the cycle route.

Employment

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had with the employment agency Adecco prior to, and since, the termination on 4 July 2003 of employees' contracts working in the Sanmina facility in Greenock.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive officials keep in close contact with Sanmina SCI directly on a number of matters. However, officials have had no contact with Adecco regarding employee contracts at Sanmina SCI.

Employment

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, and plans to have, with the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the progress of the European agency workers directive.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the proposed agency workers directive.

Employment

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, and plans to have, with the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Confederation of British Industry (Scotland) and the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland regarding the progress of the European agency workers directive.

Mr Jim Wallace: Employment and industrial relations matters are reserved to Her Majesty's Government. The Scottish Executive has no powers in relation to the proposed agency workers directive.

Employment

Mr Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people, and what percentage of the work force, (a) are employed in the manufacturing industry and (b) were so employed in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

Mr Jim Wallace: The table shows the number of people employed in the manufacturing industry in their main job, also expressed as a percentage of the total workforce:

  

 Year
 Number 
  employed in manufacturing
 Percentage 
  of total work force


 (000's)
 %


 2000
 352
 15


 2001
 342
 14


 2002
 326
 14



  Note:

  2002 is the most recent year for which data is available.

Environment

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6715 by Ross Finnie on 27 March 2003, what interaction it has had with relevant authorities in Northern Ireland concerning the application by Ballymoney Power for an integrated open-cast lignite mine and power station near Ballymoney, County Antrim, and whether the Executive is reassured that there will be no negative impact on air quality in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has been in regular contact with both the environment group and the planning service of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) which are dealing with the Ballymoney planning application. The Executive submitted its views on the application on 13 May 2003, stating, among other things, that consideration needed to be given to transboundary issues to ensure that due account is taken of any potential implications for air quality in Scotland and of relevant EU legislation.

  The Executive has been reassured by the NIO planning service that our views will be taken into account. Executive officials will maintain close contact with the Northern Ireland authorities in connection with this planning application.

Environment

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend environmentally sensitive area (ESA) scheme agreements that are due to come to an end before land management contracts are in place in order to safeguard any ecological and economic benefits of the scheme.

Ross Finnie: I am currently considering arrangements for continued agri-environment support for farmers and crofters coming to the end of their 10 year ESA scheme agreement. I intend to make an announcement shortly.

European Union

Mr Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 22 July 2003.

Ross Finnie: The Italian Presidency, in its first meeting in the chair, set out its work programme for the remainder of the year. This will include implementation of the revised Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the adoption of legal texts formalising the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform agreement reached in June 2003, the launching of proposals for reform of the sugar and certain mediterranean regimes, and co-ordinating the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations at Cancun, Mexico in September. The Presidency plans two conferences on mediterranean fisheries and agriculture questions. The relationship between EU agriculture and that in developing countries will be the theme of the informal ministerial meeting in Sicily in September. Other dossiers to be taken forward will include genetically modified organisms (GMOs) (co-existence with non-GMO agriculture), rural employment, organic farming and western waters.

  On agriculture, the Council concluded its discussions of two food hygiene proposals which impose a new requirement on food businesses to adopt specific hygiene procedures and make changes to the veterinary inspection regime. It was agreed to allow an 18-month implementation period. The Council was thus able to reach a common position on the package and, subject to agreement by the European Parliament, formal texts will be adopted in the autumn.

  The Commission signalled that it is on the verge of agreeing draft guidance to member states on how to manage the co-existence of genetically modified and other crops. Pending Commission agreement, Commissioner Fischler was not in a position to indicate its likely content. The Commission subsequently issued guidelines on the 23 July.

  Following on from work under the Greek Presidency, the Presidency proposed some conclusions on the importance of rural employment which, amongst other things, called on the Commission to carry out a broad study of employment prospects (not just in agriculture) in the rural areas. The conclusions were unanimously agreed.

  Under any other business, Commissioner Byrne gave the customary two-monthly report on developments regarding BSE. There was no discussion. The Commission informed the Council of its plan for a conference on the future for rural development in Salzburg in November. France and a number of delegations reported problems arising from continued drought.

  The Commission reported on preparations for the WTO Ministerial in Cancun, Mexico, in September 2003 and circulated a paper which set out the impact of the recent CAP reform deal in a WTO context. The UK supported the Commission and other member states in stressing the importance of getting the EU's trading partners to recognise the scale and scope of the newly agreed reforms.

  On fisheries, only two issues arose. The Presidency produced a short progress report on the Commission's proposal (Com (2002) 739 final) for a new western waters regulation. It indicated that there was not yet a basis for agreement in Council; that bilateral discussion would continue with the member states; and that an agreement would be sought at the Council on 29-30 September. There was no substantive discussion.

  The Presidency also produced a questionnaire, which formed the basis for a substantive, preliminary discussion on the Commission's latest proposals for cod and hake recovery plans. The discussion centred on the biological and management targets for these stocks, the need for effort control, and the merits of the Commission's proposals as compared with the current, interim regime contained in Annex XVII to last December's TAC and Quota regulation. The discussion did not go into the associated detail, which remains to be discussed in Council working groups in September onwards. Most member states felt the need for such discussion before adopting firm positions on the Commission's proposal. The UK requested a full evaluation of Annex XVII, and re-stated its commitment to effort control as one element in a package of management measures. The Presidency concluded by agreeing further work in the working group with a view to the adoption of measures for 2004 as soon as possible.

Justice

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what value of, fines have been written off owing to the offender receiving a prison sentence, or an alternative disposal for failure to pay, in each of the last six years.

Cathy Jamieson: The information provided by the Scottish Court Service for how many, and what value of, fines have been written off owing to the offender receiving a prison sentence, or an alternative disposal for failure to pay, in each of the last six years is set out in the following table.

  

 Calendar Year
 No of Fines Discharged by 
  Imprisonment
 Total Sum Discharged by 
  Imprisonment
 No of Fines Discharged by 
  Supervised Attendance Order
 Total Sum Discharged by 
  Supervised Attendance Order


 1997
 10,807
 1,620,954.50
 1,795
 202,820.20


 1998
 11,840
 1,889,647.10
 2,945
 383,118.84


 1999
 9,169
 1,498,219.66
 2,846
 373,264.07


 2000
 8,837
 1,422,118.42
 2,780
 365,943.31


 2001
 8,604
 1,354,439.39
 2,678
 355,094.06


 2002
 8,657
 1,429,315.08
 2,601
 382,086.57

Justice

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-894 by Cathy Jamieson on 2 July 2003, for what categories of offences civil diligence was used to recover fines, broken down by (a) sheriff and (b) district court in each of the last six years.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is not held centrally.

Prostitution

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when its expert group on prostitution will report.

Cathy Jamieson: I have already announced the appointment of Sandra Hood OBE, former Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, as the chair of the Group. We are currently discussing the membership, remit and timetable with Ms Hood and I will make another announcement when these matters have been finalised.

Rail Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the new passenger rail franchise would be if rail freight operators did not use the Stirling to Kincardine rail link because of any track access charges introduced by the promoter of the railway.

Nicol Stephen: A decision of freight operators not to use the proposed Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link would have no impact on the passenger rail services specified in the draft bidding documentation for the Scottish passenger rail franchise, as the specification is based on the existing level of service. Nor would future passenger services using the line, for which costed bids are requested in the draft Invitation to tender be affected.

Rail Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a national system for booking bicycles onto trains as part of the tourism strategy and, if so, whether the system is well co-ordinated with any local systems.

Nicol Stephen: I understand that there is no national system for booking bicycles onto trains as part of the tourism strategy. However, in Scotland ScotRail operate a booking system for bicycles through a telesales subsidiary of its parent company National Express Group.

Rail Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether tourists travelling with bicycles on trains are provided with appropriate paperwork to confirm travel arrangements.

Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for the train operating companies.

Rail Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether VisitScotland holds joint strategy discussions with ScotRail to secure maximum capacity on trains for tourists travelling with bicycles to top tourist areas.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no locus over meetings held between VisitScotland and ScotRail. However, in recognition of the benefits of integrating cycling with rail travel, I understand that VisitScotland works to influence transport providers to become more bicycle-friendly.

Road Safety

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been caused by careless driving, excluding deaths of careless drivers, since May 2002.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Road Safety

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents occurred on the Stirling to Ballat Cross stretch of the A811 in 2002.

Nicol Stephen: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only accidents.

  During 2002, there were 20 injury road accidents that were identified in the STATS 19 returns as occurring on the A811 between its junction with the A811 at Ballat Cross and the centre of Stirling.

  It should be noted that this figure is based upon the data which are held in the central statistical database and which were collected by the police at the time of the accident and subsequently reported to the Executive. It may differ from any figure which the local authority would provide now, because it does not take account of any subsequent changes or corrections that the local authority may have made to the statistical information, for use at local level, about the location of each accident, based upon its knowledge of the road and area concerned.

Road Safety

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents occurred on the Stirling to Lochearnhead stretch of the A84 in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

Nicol Stephen: The number of injury accidents that have occurred on the A84 between Stirling and Lochearnhead in 2001 and 2002 are as follows:

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 2001
 2
 8
 18
 28


 2002
 0
 8
 11
 19

Royal Mail

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-829 by Nicol Stephen on 27 June 2003, whether it has requested from the Royal Mail the basis, assumptions and projected impact of its proposal to cease rail operations and what the reasons are for the Executive's position on this matter.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-829 by Nicol Stephen on 27 June 2003, what steps it has taken to assess the impact on road traffic and road maintenance of the proposal by the Royal Mail to cease rail operations

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1348 on 29 July 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search ..

Skye Bridge

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the construction cost of the Skye Bridge was at the time of its completion and how much of that sum was publicly funded.

Nicol Stephen: The total construction cost of the Skye Bridge was £39 million which includes £3 million for advisors' fees, survey work, land purchase and staff costs. The Department contributed £12 million. These figures are expressed at 1991 prices.

Skye Bridge

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been collected in tolls on the Skye Bridge (a) in total and (b) in each year since it opened.

Nicol Stephen: Total tolls collected on Skye Bridge from opening until June 2003 amount to £27,239,735. Tolls collected each year are detailed in the table:

  

 Year
 Amount (£'s)


 1995
 397,599


 1996
 3,178,385


 1997
 3,253,993


 1998
 3,579,642


 1999
 3,666,434


 2000
 3,755,373


 2001
 3,641,085


 2002
 4,003,881

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum sum could be earned by the current chief executive of EventScotland under performance-related pay.

Mr Frank McAveety: The maximum sum that currently could be earned by the chief executive under performance related pay is £98,946. In addition, he could be eligible for a non-consolidated bonus of up to 10%, depending on his achieving or exceeding standards of performance to be agreed with VisitScotland and the Executive.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £10 million for EventScotland will be spent on (a) wages and salaries, (b) administration costs and (c) promoting Scotland as an event centre.

Mr Frank McAveety: The annual budget and business plan for EventScotland will be finalised after the arrival of the new chief executive at the end of August. It will then be discussed and agreed with the advisory board of EventScotland at its next meeting in November. Once it is agreed, the key elements of the business plan will be made publicly available.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the award of performance-related pay for the chief executive of EventScotland.

Mr Frank McAveety: These criteria, which will require to be agreed between the new chief executive, the Scottish Executive and VisitScotland, will be related to the EventScotland business plan which will be finalised and published after the chief executive takes up post later this summer.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure by it, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in securing, promoting and supporting each major event has been in each year since 1999.

Mr Frank McAveety: A note setting out the expenditure devoted to securing, promoting and supporting major events by the Scottish Executive, EventScotland, VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each year since 1999 has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number. 28684). Information is not held centrally on expenditure by other executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies on this matter.

Wildlife

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether closing an area off the east coast in 2000 for promoting the recovery of sandeel and dependent sea bird populations has been effective and whether it would support any moves by the European Commission to make the closure permanent.

Ross Finnie: The closure of the Wee Bankie area to commercial sandeel fishing since 2000 cannot yet be demonstrated to have promoted the stability of local sea bird populations. There is an indication that the closure has benefited the discrete local sandeel population.

  The European Commission, with the support of the Scottish Executive, has proposed a further three years of closure in order to allow for further scientific monitoring of the closure and its effects.

Wildlife

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ruddy ducks have been culled in Scotland under the UK-wide culling programme; where such culls have been taken place, and what the cost of such culls has been.

Allan Wilson: In Scotland, 216 ruddy ducks were culled in Fife between April 1999 and May 2002. The cull formed part of the UK Ruddy Duck Control Trial, established to determine the feasibility of reducing the UK ruddy duck population, to research the most appropriate methods of control and to determine likely costs.

  This three-year trial was undertaken on a UK basis and costs in relation to work carried out in Scotland are not held separately. The approximate total cost of research and control work throughout the UK during this period was £900,000.

  No ruddy ducks have been culled in Scotland since May 2002.